Why Suvorov drove his wife out: Eccentricities and paradoxes of the wayward generalissimo

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The described facts about the life of the Russian commander Alexander Suvorov often boil down to his military victories and the undeniable genius of military craft. For nearly five decades of military activity, he did not suffer a single defeat. Russian troops under the command of Suvorov defeated the best armies in Europe. And if the description of these victories takes up many volumes, then not much has been said about the other Suvorov. Alexander Vasilyevich was known to his contemporaries as a creative personality and cultural figure, an original thinker and highly educated person, an unusual nature and sometimes an intolerable eccentric.

How the future commander raved about the army from childhood

Alexander Suvorov grew up in a Moscow noble family of General-in-Chief, the author of the first military dictionary in Russia. The boy was a weak and often ill child. Due to health problems, the father did not even think about a military career for his son, purposefully preparing him for civilian service. But Alexander, in spite of everything, from an early age gravitated towards military affairs. He disappeared in his father's library, spending hours studying specialized literature. The child was well acquainted with fortifications, military history, and artillery. But the interests of the future military legend were not limited to this. He was fond of mathematics, philosophy, world history.

Having finally decided to enter military service, Suvorov began to temper and became interested in sports training. In 1742, he got his father enrolled in the Semyonovsky Life Guards regiment. Alexander Suvorov began his active military service in 1748 with the rank of corporal, although all noble children started with officer ranks. Thanks to this experience, Suvorov knew in detail the soldier's path from the very bottom.

Suvorov is a loner and a commanding tone in the circle of loved ones

Suvorov was a loner by nature. Avoiding society, he said that he had enough of old friends, calling the names of Caesar, Annibal, Vauban, Kegorn. And old friends, as you know, it is a sin to cheat with new ones. In dealing with loved ones, Suvorov showed himself to be overly picky and harsh. His close circle seemed to him the same army, which should be built according to certain clear laws. During the periods of two temporary retirements, Suvorov lived in the Konchanskoye family estate, where in a matter of days he managed to establish such order that the locals did not forget about them for years later. When Suvorov formed a chorus of serfs, he drilled them to the point of insanity. He is used to reaching the ideal in everything. Those who were not ready for such a harsh order immediately went out. In an army way, the commander dealt with his personal life. He got married late, at 43. And having caught the wife of infidelity, he expelled her quickly, firmly and irrevocably. His contemporaries said that, while cleaning his personal gun, he liked to repeat: "My wife is in proper form."

The subtle soul of the ruthless commander: Suvorov - vocalist and poet

Suvorov sang well. The sergeant who served with him recalled that Alexander Vasilyevich loved to sing Bortnyansky's concerts from sheet music. He was personally acquainted with the most popular Russian musicians at that time. The same Bortnyansky dedicated two of his works to the commander. The first - "Glory in the highest" - was performed during the meeting of Suvorov from Italy, and the concert "Alive in the help of Vyshnyago" was performed at the commander's funeral performed by the entire court chapel.

Suvorov also raided literature. His work "The Science of Victory" is a fairly well-known book about the views of an experienced military man on the training of soldiers, an analysis of battle tactics, and an exposition of deep military thought. But Alexander Vasilyevich was also engaged in more elegant word-creation. In his youth, long before reaching career heights, Suvorov often attended meetings of lovers of the Russian word at the cadet corps. At that time, Russian literature was just making its first steps. Lomonosov returned from Germany to Russia, the first tragedy of Sumarokov came out, thinking young people were en masse carried away by the Russian word. At literary evenings, various translations of foreign works were sounded, original works were read, imitations, opinions were expressed and reputations were created. During this period, Suvorov became close to the writers Kheraskov and Sumarokov, to whose court he brought his first literary experience.

First the icon - then the empress

Historians claim that Suvorov lived deeply religiously. He started from the fact that his whole life is in God's hands. But even God he called in his own way - a general. The commander also respected the church foundations. He attended services at the slightest opportunity, was guided in all rituals and sacraments, and prayed fervently and sincerely. When there was a lot of free time, especially during the years of imperial disgrace, Suvorov stood for hours in front of the icons, read long prayers and bowed to the floor. Church posts were also strictly fulfilled in his person. The exception was neither illness nor protracted hostilities. And even entering the chambers of the Empress, Suvorov first of all approached the icon of the Mother of God and made three prostrations to her, and only later greeted the Empress herself.

Contempt for luxury and life without mirrors

Lucky, honored, enterprising and influential generalissimo hated luxury. Somehow Catherine II learned that Suvorov traveled from Strelna in only one uniform. The Empress ordered to present the commander with a sable fur coat trimmed with expensive velvet. But the fate of this gift was foretold. Suvorov used it only when visiting the palace and put it on only after leaving the carriage, and before that he kept it on his knees.

Suvorov often fell asleep on straw, content with an ordinary soldier's ration. His working day began almost immediately after midnight, and in wartime he could generally sleep every other day. At home, Suvorov did not tolerate mirrors, and if he had to stay in other people's apartments, all available mirrors were covered with sheets. About the reasons for such rejection, he joked something like this: "Have mercy, God, I do not want to look at another Suvorov." The commander never had a watch or money with him. Clocks were not set at home either. He argued that a soldier does not need a watch. And if you suddenly need to go on a hike, then let the first roosters serve as an alert.

And for the capture of Warsaw Suvorov received this gift.